The invention relates generally to foldable agricultural implements. Specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to caster wheel assemblies for agricultural implements.
Many types of farming implements are used for a variety of tasks, such as tilling, planting, and harvesting. For example, seeders and planters are agricultural implements that include devices that create a trench in soil, deposit seeds into the trench, and fill the trench. A seeding/planting agricultural implement may include a central section or bar coupled to a tow bar and wing assemblies coupled to either side of the tow bar. The wing assemblies typically include tool bars that extend from the tow bar, row units that perform the farming operation and are mounted on the tool bars, and supporting wheel assemblies disposed along the length of the tool bars.
During the farming operation, the row units and wheel assemblies may be configured to “float.” That is, the row units and wheel assemblies may be configured such that the row units contact the soil with sufficient force to deposit seeds into the soil at a desired depth while also allowing the wing tool bars to traverse various kinds of terrain. During transport, the wing tool bars may be folded forwardly to reduce the width of the agricultural implement. During turns, the wing tool bars may slightly raise while the wheel assemblies support the end of the wing tool bars. The wheel assemblies may also support each end of the wing tool bars during folding and unfolding.
However, during turns, inside wheel assemblies may pivot upon themselves, which may form undesirable soil divets within the field. The magnitude of the divets within the field may increase during sharp turns. Additionally, during turns, the outside wheel assemblies may travel through rough terrain, such as waterways and drainage ditches, which may increase the amount of wear on the outside wheel assemblies relative to the inside wheel assemblies. Tire scruffing may also occur during folding and unfolding of the wing tool bars. Additionally, as the width of agricultural implements increase to accommodate more rows and larger fields, the increasing number of wheel assemblies used for support may increase the amount of soil compaction for the field, which may negatively affect crop yield. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to improve the structure of wheel assemblies that support the wing tool bars of agricultural implements.